As a first-generation immigrant, I always valued the importance of education, especially considering the lack of educational opportunities in my country. I believe education is essential for establishing and sustaining democracy. In Ecuador, many people lack access to public education, leading to widespread corruption and disenfranchisement due to the lack of civic awareness. Throughout my work, I have realized that in the U.S., we also lack a strong civic education, causing subgroups of people to often feel marginalized. It is crucial to teach the importance of civic education and empower individuals with agency and the right resources to create bottom-up change. When I was younger, I believed that change could only be made at the national level through legislation. However, I have come to realize that long-lasting, sustainable change has to happen at the state or community level with community input. Therefore, it is vital to teach community members how to achieve this.
Dharma Wong
First-Generation Student
Collaborative / Empathetic / Inquisitive
“I was born in Ecuador and emigrated to the U.S. when I was 6 years old. Upon arrival, I was immediately enrolled in a well-funded public school and placed in the English as a Second Language (ESL) track. One day, a teacher mentioned that I didn’t look like I belonged in remedial classes, and I was moved to advanced courses. This change was instrumental as it opened many opportunities for me. I saw how limited the opportunities were for my peers who stayed in the remedial track. That teacher’s decision changed my whole life.”
Designing for Growth
Human-driven growth
“After graduating from high school, I joined City Year, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging educational gaps. I wanted to help other students in the community as my teachers helped me. There, I saw [the] stark inequalities in an under-resourced school, where students had no access to libraries, and the school only had 100 laptops for about 500 students. Seeing these conditions fueled my passion to work with nonprofits and organizations that strive for educational equity and ensure all students have access to opportunities … When I worked at City Year, I was fortunate to be part of an amazing team, including a remarkable mentor and friend Valentina. She was a bit older [and] had already graduated from college. Her guidance was incredibly important to me, especially as a first-generation student. She offered invaluable advice, took me to college around meet-and-greets, and supported my educational journey.. Even when I pursued graduate school, she was always there, providing unwavering support and advice.”
AI-driven growth
“I think I’ve become open to the idea … [of] using AI as a learning platform. I believe AI can be an excellent tool for individuals to learn new skills and receive live feedback, especially when other resources are unavailable. For instance, AI can teach some to code. Making this skill more accessible allows individuals to have multiple learning options, rather than relying solely on universities to acquire these skills. I believe it has the potential to close resource gaps; [I] usually [use AI] to generate interview questions as it provides me feedback, which is very important since I don’t always have access to interview prep coaches. This has taught me a lot about my skills and the areas I need to improve.”
AI vs. Human-driven growth
“I guess it would be a collaborative process, much like working with a human, constantly changing and seeking feedback. I’m often reflective on what it produces and how I’m coming across. [It] teaches me communication patterns in general, my outlook, and how I present myself and my thoughts.”
Designing for Agency
Human-driven agency
“Before my education, I thought that there were a lot of choices when it came to democracy and the ability to take action. When I first started at City Year, I always wondered, “Why are we not doing enough?” Now through my education, I understand the institutional and systemic barriers that create so many obstacles for people. We can’t even see that we’re trapped in this web. It’s really, really, really hard to get out of that web because it’s designed to keep us there. The available choices are almost always limited by this system. We have to start thinking creatively [about] how to navigate the world and how to make change within the world.”
AI-driven agency
“I do see that a lot more companies are using AI, and they’re promoting it all over and boosting the idea. Within this internship [at the Lab], we have used AI in terms of gathering [information]. For instance, [I have used] Otter because it gives you transcripts, and then it would tell you how many times people use words; that could be another alternative way to get data. I’m seeing more collaboration between the workforce and AI.”
AI vs. Human-driven agency
“[The use of AI] has been an equity problem [in my work]. Some students in some schools were allowed to use AI after school. They were able to get advantages just [by] using it, while other students who didn’t have internet at home or didn’t have a computer available at home, were not able to use it. What policies are we going to implement in regards to this? It is an equity issue, not just a learning issue.”
Designing for Belonging
Human-driven belonging
“During City Year, I had a student who often felt isolated and distressed [We had] lots of conversations where [I] share[d] my own experiences growing up and how similar they were to his situations. I tried to convey my perspective in a meaningful way, as it was probably really hard for a child to [hear] “it will get better” or “you will [eventually] think about this differently].” I was trying my best to say it in a way where the words have meaning and not [sound] just like something an adult says. [We had] these long conversations throughout the whole school year.”
AI-driven belonging
“[There is a fear that] if we utilize [AI] wrong, it can create misinformation and it can create political problems … We need to teach people how to use it, and [when] not to use it. If we don’t teach the right ways [to use it] and try to abstain from it altogether, I feel like that’s going to create a bigger issue, because people will start utilizing it [in] the wrong way. If you tell someone not to do something, they’re gonna do it. I think the education piece is very important.”
AI vs. Human-driven belonging
“[Collaboration] depends on how people approach it and the culture surrounding it. When [viewed positively], it can foster a very inclusive environment. However, if it’s looked down upon, it can be alienating for those who engage in it]. [When people are] open to sharing their experiences [and ask], ‘How do you best utilize [AI]?,’ it becomes collaborative and encouraging … It’s all about how you utilize it. I keep saying it’s [about] the equity part of it. Just like healthcare, just like public transportation. AI should be distributed equally. It should be one of those systems, and not be overlooked. Everyone should have access to the internet [and] to tools [like this].”
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